


Master of Disguise

by Eipthor



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Rigel Black Series - murkybluematter
Genre: Gen, Humor, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:28:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28400160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eipthor/pseuds/Eipthor
Summary: ... but not of subtletyNot a new work. Moving over my MBM prompt games fics from the ff forum
Comments: 3
Kudos: 42





	Master of Disguise

Tonks was eager to move up in the auror department. Not that she didn't love working under Moody, but there were only so many times a girl could get hexed in the name of vigilance before she lost it, and she refused to lose it with Moody. Not only because she respected him, but because he would win, making her all the more eager to make another attempt at his remaining leg. Surely he wouldn't miss it too badly. He didn't seem to be missing any of the other various bits that had fallen off over the years. It had become one of her favorite hobbies, plotting how to get the jump on old Mad-Eye and make away with his obnoxious body parts. That and spying in the Lower Alleys.

It was the perfect way to make a name for herself within the department. It was widely held within the department that, at bare minimum, a majority of crimes committed in magical Britain could be connected to the Lower Alleys, if only they had the proof. But no one in the Alleys would talk. There were no informants or moles, no conscientious citizenry ready to say something when they see something. Even the jail rats, captured and bound for prison or the kiss, wouldn't snitch on their accomplices. It was a running joke in the department that the only successful interrogation technique for Alley folk was to convince them their partner had sexual relations with a female relative. Even that trick had only worked three times, more than expected, but still not much.

Enter Tonks, auror extraordinaire, newly graduated top of her class from the academy, apprentice to Alastor Moody, metamorphmagus exemplar, master of disguise, freaking goddess in the sack if she did say so herself (which she did, frequently (Charlie had said so too, but it had taken some bargaining on her part)). It was fool proof. If no one in the Alleys would give the aurors information, then she'd find it herself. It had been going great so far. She'd created a persona, a mustachioed eccentric named Horatio Pallethorn, and had begun to establish relations with the locals. Not even a three weeks in and she was already hearing all sorts of rumors about a rogue king, and court intrigue, a potions smuggling ring, a creatures smuggling ring, a _broomstick_ smuggling ring, brawls in the streets... It was everything she'd dreamed of and more. She'd just been thinking all it needed was some swashbuckling and _voila,_ Dueling competition!

Unfortunately, this is the point where Head Auror James Potter, who for all his pranking expertise had never exhibited a sense of humor with her, found out. Then came the rules. You need back up. Notify someone when you're patrolling. Have a portkey on you at all times. No, you can't enter the dueling competition. It's illegal. It will spoil your cover. Like she couldn't make another cover. Metamorphmagus, hello! She'd have wiped the floor with them. You know, for justice.

Still, that was how she, Tonks, auror extraordinaire, et al., ended up spending her morning guiding a polyjuiced James Potter, her scary boss' scary boss, through the lower alleys on an early Sunday morning.

"It's not normally this crowded," s/he (Tonks/atio) said, grinning through an overlarge bite of bacon on swiss on egg on flatbread. " 't's just 'cuz o' the tournament." But her boss ignored her, eyes scanning listlessly through the crowd while his body maintained a casual, Bond-like pose. Tonks imitated the affect behind him for a moment, before deciding it didn't work on Her/atio, and returning to her slouch. And to her talking.

"It's just so exciting, in't it?" —more bacon on egg on swiss on flatbread— "I mean, a real tournament. Don' see one of those ev'ry day. With real knives and ev'rythin'. Do ya think they stab people, 'cuz I heard from Margo tha' — "

"Quiet." His eyes were still searching. His pose still Bond-like. His tone distracted by duty. She couldn't wait to be like that one day. All serious and cool. She tried imitation again, before deciding she wanted another bite of sandwich. There was no rule saying she couldn't do both, she thought, scanning the crowd, focussed to the point of glaring. Another bite. More scanning. Wave at Harry. More scanning. Glaring. Bite (yum).

"Who was that?"

"Hmm..?" She'd gotten distracted by her sandwich again. She (Horatio! Darn it, keep your identity straight Tonks) tracked his gaze across the street to Miss Marple's fruit cart. "Oh, that's just Harry. He works for Krait's. It's a potion shop not to far from here. Makes a killing off wolfsbane from what I understand."

She had crumbs in her mustache. She put a hand up to cover her face while the hairs receded and crumbs fell. Facial hair was hard. She didn't know how guys did it. The mustache was back now. She dropped the hand and checked to see if her boss had noticed, but he was still distracted and Bond-like, is body starting to be subconsciously drawn in the direction of his gaze. Tonks followed, throwing out the last of her flatbread sadly.

Tonks' gaze wandered about. It was beautiful. The knife throwers, the churros, the nine AM drinking. Children running through the street. It was like being at a carnival. She bought a churro. Actually she bought two, but one was for James, only he looked distracted so she decided to hold it for him. He was staring at Harry who'd just met up with Leo and some hot scarred guy. Not Charlie hot, mind you. It was hard to find scars as hot as dragon scars, and she was in a committed relationship thank you very much. But still. Hot. James made a move to approach them, but they entered the competitors tent. She looked down. She'd accidentally moved on from her now eaten churro, and started in on James'. Best not tell him.

James was now arguing with the bouncer guarding the tent. Honestly, and he called her unprofessional. She flashed their tickets at the man, and started dragging James toward the stands.

"Come on, then. It's this way. I got the best seats" James made an aborted movement towards the champions tent, before following. She grinned and practically skipped her way there. She didn't though. That would have looked weird on Horatio. Still, third row, one section off center. Not too shabby. She pulled out her red flag from the day before and gave it an excited little wave, as Leo and the other competitor for the first match entered the area. James' face was in a stiff maroon expression, the glare ruining is Bond-like facade.

Wow, she thought, munching on the last of his churro. I wish I was that committed to fighting injustice. She would make sure to scowl all the way through the rest of the match. She grinned at the idea, then set herself in for some hard core glaring. You know, for justice.


End file.
